The Great Divide
by gamergirlavs
Summary: After almost 2 years of peace in the clans something unthinkable happens. 8 cats alone must do the most amazing thing that any cat has ever done.
1. The Clan

Shadowclan

Leader: Earthstar - A deep ginger tom with a brown ticked pelt.

Deputy: Longbreeze- A tan tom with dark brown tabby markings.

Medicine Cat: Firelight- A pale ginger tabby with yellow eyes.

Warriors:

Stormnose- A tall black she-cat with one white marking on her flank.

**Apprentice; Berrypaw**

Wetmoon- A grey tom with yellow eyes.

**Apprentice; Silverpaw**

Whitemoon - A small long haired white she-cat.

Jadestep- A beautiful brown tabby with emerald eyes.

Morningfrost- A snow white she-cat with blue eyes.

**Apprentice; Risingpaw**

Greyface- A small grey she-cat with yellow eyes.

** Apprentice; Copperpaw**

Goldstone- A tan tom with Orange eyes.

Apprentices:

Risingpaw- A long haired deep ginger tom with blue eyes.

Silverpaw- A grey she-cat with white socks.

Copperpaw- A tan tom with black tabby markings.

Berrypaw- A pure white she-cat with blue eyes.

Queens:

Seafern- A brown tabby she-cat with grey eyes.

KITS: Rosekit and Redkit

Elders:

Volestorm- A blind brown tom with broken claws.

Flametalon- A ginger she-cat who's almost deaf.

Shadowash- A dark tom with torn lip and orange eyes.


	2. One Snow Covered Leafbare

Snowflakes. Lots of them, dancing, falling. They flittered to the ground and landed all around the forest. Shadows were no longer the blackish grey but a light blue and the light was the purest shade of white. The sky wasn't any different then the snow itself, white as the layer of new snow was layed on the ground. Mother Nature was decorating.

Through peaceful air a sudden Yowl broke the silence. "Hurry it up, I don't want to loose some of my best warriors out here!" Came a blunt voice. It was deep gruff and powerful. Their were a few mews of agreement as the voices came from the trees.

Finally from the shadows of the trees came a tall muscular cat. His shoulders were wide and his body was long. Through the falling snow green emerald eyes looked out. The powerful cat lifted his head and opened his mouth drinking in the scents around him. He closed his mouth as he finished. "No intruders here, lets head toward the Thunderpath," Came his blunt remark.

From the trees behind him several other cats appeared. One a Ginger female who was long and slender. She had a few scars over her hind legs from countless battles. Soon she would be heading off to the elder's den herself. Many called her Flametalon.

A large tabby followed close behind. His grey eyes were chilling but he wore a calm expression. His tail was extremely long and his legs were a bit shorter. His tan pelt and dark brown tabby markings made it easy to tell he was Longbreeze.

Two more cats followed. One a tall black female with long limbs and one white marking on her flank was named Stormnose. Behind her was a small golden brown tom. His eyes were a deep shade of orange and his long fur made the snow on his pelt suspend on the edges of his pelt. The apprentice was Goldpaw and this was his first time outside of camp with his mentor Stormnose.

With the Patrol moving on all 5 cats moved silently along the edges of the forest. Suddenly Stormnose's ears perked up and she jumped straight up and then dove into the heavy snow. Goldpaw seemed stumped until he seen her drag a squirrel out of the snow. She held it up proudly as she walked. The apprentice by her side smiled.

The muscular cat in the lead nodded and headed onward. One thing set this cat apart from everyone else in the party. He was the Leader of Shadowclan. Earthstar was a brilliant leader and was chosen after Blackstar's death. Earthstar had become deputy long after the last one had died in a vicious battle with a badger.

Earthstar pushed oneward with the cats following obediantly, after renewing a few scent markings they continued on until they made it to a long road. It was coal black and even the snow that fell from the sky didn't cover it. The road ate it with its true evil, as if a warning to all cats that this place was a place of death. They patroled the border and walked along the edge until they began to move away.

Just before the cats could be on their way a faint noise was heard. Earthstar's ears perked up and he glanced around trying to locate the source of the noise. With a sudden jerk of his head he found what was making the noise.

In a large pile of snow along the edge of the Thunderpath a kit lay, half buried in the snow. Even though most of the previous leaders of Shadowclan had been more or less evil and untrustworthy, Earthstar was a kind leader. He ran over and plucked the kit from the snow, it didn't shiver. It didn't object it just hung from his gentle grip giving that pittiful mew.

With a nod of his head Earthstar gave command to Longbreeze to continue the patrol. With a rush of speed Earthstar rushed back to camp. He had to get the kit out of the cold and into the warmth. His thoughts buzzed about who could be the parents of the small helpless kit and what mother could leave her kit in the snow? Then he came to terms that perhaps she didn't have any paw in it.

Finally he broke through the brush around the edge of Shadowclan camp. Other cats turned their head in surprise and looked to him. A tall grey tabby with yellow eyes asked if their was anything wrong. That is until he seen the kit in his mouth and was quite. He backed away as Earthstar took off to the queen's nest.

He knew who to bring the small kit too but the only question was if she would accept the small and helpless kit. He slipped through the ivy that blocked the nest and stepped inside. Only two cats were inside and a few kits. A small white she kit was curled up with several small kits. A grey, a brown and a white kit near her belly. Her name was Whitemoon and she would die for her kits.

The other cat in the nest was a medium female. Her back was toward him but he reconized her right away. Her sobs were echoed in the cave like shelter. Her sobs wracked her body and she was curled up against the edge of her next. She was turned away from a small tuff of fluff. It was the same brown tabby color as she.

Earthstar felt tears well up in his eyes at the sight of the still mound. He walked forward a few steps. Setting the small ginger kit down he looked up to the queen. "Jadestep?" He said slowly. She turned and looked at him, her cheeks were wet and her fur was stuck to her skin. But those emerald eyes still shone with a life full of a proud warrior, just a bunch of sorrow was mixed in.

Her eyes then darted from him to the small ginger kit. "I found him, he was abandoned...by the Thunderpath. I thought that....," He was going to say more until she cut him off.

"Bring him here, quickly," She said in a rushed but gentle tone. He picked up the small kit who was now beginning to shiver. He placed her up to her warm belly. He mewed for once squealing with new life. She licked him trying to clean the snow that still stuck to his fur. Earthstar licked behind her ears and she nuzzled his chest. "I'm sorry I let our kits die," She said slowly.

He felt a rumble in his chest and she looked up at him. His eyes burned with an upset nature, "It wasn't your fault," He said in a strict tone. She nodded and nuzzled him again. "Besides, we have a second chance as parents," He said leaning down and licking the kit that looked a little like him.

She nodded as the small kit then turned and began to nurse. Earthstar licked her ear one last time as he stood and walked away. He picked up the mound that used to be he last kit, a son. His name was Risingkit but he was now running with Starclan. "I know what his name is," She said slowly.

Earthstar dropped the mound and looked to her one last time. The queen's eyes darted to her dead kit and she looked back at her kit, "Risingkit," She said, "Like the Rising of a new day....a new son," She said. She laid down and Earthstar nodded. He picked up his kit and left, to bury him under the Tall tree.


	3. A New Start

Slowly off in the far distance a sun rose high into the air. As it began to spread its warmth out for the world to feel so that it could awaken. The birds were the first to stir on that warm spring morning, the seasons were just beginning to change so the warmth would be nice for at least a few more moons.

Beyond the height of the trees where the birds went about their morning songs a small peaceful clearing lay. Several areas were seen and under a large tree with a large wide trunk where the roots were spread out a cat appeared. His deep brown and ginger pelt worked well in the swaying of the branches. He stretched as he reached above ground. He shook his pelt and stepped out into the sunlight.

A beautiful tabby appeared from behind him, Her emerald eyes sparkling proudly. She sat beside him and curled her tail around her legs and leaned against his shoulder. She nuzzled his warm pelt and he turned smiling at her. He nuzzled her face as well and the two went back to watching the sun rise. Their was only sweet silence as the two mates watched together.

Finally as cats began to appear she looked up at him. "Risingkit is getting older, don't you think its time he became an apprentice," She said with a smile. He looked at her, "Is he already 6 moons? Goodness it seems like only yesterday was that snowy night," He said lookin up at the warm sky.

Jadestep purred with laughter, "Should I tell him you said yes?" She said with a chuckle. Earthstar nodded. He nuzzled her one last time as she stood and walked away. He sighed and looked up at the sky, it was true. His son was more then ready and what more could he say then yes?

----

Later that night as the stars began to shimmer in the sky Earthstar decided it best to take the place at the Tall Tree. Climbing its sacred branches he looked down from the clear space. The leaves had been nawed away by all of Shadowclan's leaders so that the cats below could see. He rose his broad head and yowled to the heavens.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath Tall Tree for a Clan meeting!" Earthstar's yowl reached the tops of the trees and all around Shadowclan Camp. Many of the warriors appeared and joined beneath the Tall Tree along with the three newest apprentices: Silverpaw, Berrypaw and Copperpaw.

As the rest of the cats assembled and placed themselves in their positions, Earthstar glanced over and saw his young son being licked one last time on the ear. His tail swishing back and forth excitedly. Earthstar's eyes then moved as he saw just a few feet away another cat with an older She-cat. He had just finished his warrior training and his tan pelt was easy to notice.

"Today is a very Splendid day," Came Earthstar's calm words. The clearing was hushed as he smiled. "For today we not only do we make an apprentice a warrior but we also make a kit an apprentice," He said with a smile. He looked to Risingkit who carefully made his way up the branches.

He had certainly become the handsome cat. His gingerpelt was long and his blue eyes shone with happiness. He had his head raised high and he made his way over to his father. Earthstar's green eyes met the crystal blue ones of his son before he spoke again.

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this kit. He would like to become a warrior of Shadowclan, but must first become an apprentice. Risingkit, from this day forth, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Risingpaw." He stopped before taking in another breath to begin again. Slowly a white she-cat made her way up the tree and joined the two of them.

"Morningfrost, you will train Risingpaw. Runninghawk was your mentor. I hope that his Bravery and Spirit will pass through you to your new apprentice." With that the she-cat approached the apprentice and touched her nose to his. The clan suddenly roared in happiness chanting Risingpaw's new name.

After such Risingpaw and Morningfrost jumped down from the branches and Earthstar looked to Goldpaw. He was proud and climbed the branches with ease standing beside his leader.

" I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Goldpaw do you promise to follow the warrior code and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Came Earthstar's calm words.

This time Goldpaw spoke in a clear confident voice, " I do."

" Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Goldpaw, from this day forth you will be known as Goldstone. Shadowclan welcomes you as a full warrior." He said as he placed his muzzle on Goldstone's head. Goldstone licked Earthstar's shoulder with respect.

With that the cats of Shadowclan cheered Goldstone's new name and their was a rejoice among the crowd of cats. "You must stand a silent vigil for the night Goldstone, don't let me down," Earthstar said and dipped his head.

"There is only one more thing to take care of," he said as Goldstone jumped down easily. Earthstar rose his head high. "I've lived a long time and the years have been very kind to me. But I believe the time has come for me to step down from my position. I'll join the Elder's and retake my name of Earthclaw. Longbreeze, you will become Shadowclan's new leader," Earthclaw said as he bowed his head and stepped down.

Longbreeze jumped up into the branches, unlike Earthstar who was becoming a bit older and the grey was beginning to appear in his pelt Longbreeze was at the top of his game. He rose his head high, "Thank you Earthclaw, you have done this clan much good. I shall take a few cats and head to the moon pool tommarow at first sunlight." With that and a nod from the new leader the cats dispersed.

Many greeted the old leader with high praise and he walked proudly to the Elders den. Goldstone walked to the middle of the clearing with his head held high as he prepared for his vigil. Earthstar glanced over his shoulder as he saw Risingpaw heading off towards the Apprentice's den. Risingpaw stopped before dashing over and nuzzling him first before running back to the den. Earthclaw smirked, he was proud of his son.


End file.
